Inana and Ebih: translation

1-6Goddess of the
fearsome divine powers, clad in terror, riding on the great divine powers,
Inana, made complete by the strength of the holy
ankar weapon, drenched in blood, rushing around in great battles, with
shield resting on the ground (?), covered in storm and flood, great lady Inana, knowing well how to plan conflicts, you destroy mighty
lands with arrow and strength and overpower lands.

7-9In heaven and on
earth you roar like a lion and devastate the people. Like a huge wild bull you
triumph over lands which are hostile. Like a fearsome lion you pacify the
insubordinate and unsubmissive with your gall.

10-22My lady, on your
acquiring the stature of heaven, maiden Inana, on your
becoming as magnificent as the earth, on your coming forth like Utu the king and stretching your arms wide, on your walking in
heaven and wearing fearsome terror, on your wearing daylight and brilliance on
earth, on your walking in the mountain ranges and bringing forth beaming rays,
on your bathing the girin plants of the mountains (in light), on your
giving birth to the bright mountain, the mountain, the holy place, on your
......, on your being strong with the mace like a joyful lord, like an
enthusiastic (?) lord, on your exulting in such battle like a destructive
weapon -- the black-headed people ring out in song and all the lands sing their
song sweetly.

23-24I shall praise
the lady of battle, the great child of Suen, maiden
Inana.

25-32 (Inana announced:) "When I, the goddess, was walking around in
heaven, walking around on earth, when I, Inana, was
walking around in heaven, walking around on earth, when I was walking around in
Elam and Subir, when I was
walking around in the Lulubi mountains, when I turned
towards the centre of the mountains, as I, the goddess, approached the mountain
it showed me no respect, as I, Inana, approached the
mountain it showed me no respect, as I approached the mountain range of Ebih it showed me no respect.

33-36"Since they
showed me no respect, since they did not put their noses to the ground for me,
since they did not rub their lips in the dust for me, I shall personally fill
the soaring mountain range with my terror.

37-40"Against its
magnificent sides I shall place magnificent battering-rams, against its small
sides I shall place small battering-rams. I shall storm it and start the 'game'
of holy Inana. In the mountain range I shall start
battles and prepare conflicts.

41-44"I shall prepare
arrows in the quiver. I shall ...... slingstones with the rope. I shall begin
the polishing of my lance. I shall prepare the throwstick and the shield.

45-48"I shall set fire
to its thick forests. I shall take an axe to its evil-doing. I shall make Gibil, the purifier, bare his holy teeth at its watercourses.
I shall spread this terror through the inaccessible mountain range Aratta.

49-52"Like a city
which An has cursed, may it never be restored. Like a
city at which Enlil has frowned, may it never again
lift its neck up. May the mountain tremble when I approach. May Ebih give me honour and praise me."

53-58Inana, the child of Suen, put on the
garment of royalty and girded herself in joy. She bedecked her forehead with
terror and fearsome radiance. She arranged cornelian rosettes around her holy
throat. She brandished the seven-headed cita weapon vigorously to her
right and placed straps of lapis lazuli on her feet.

59-61At dusk she came
forth regally and followed the path to the Gate of Wonder. She made an offering
to An and addressed a prayer to him.

62-64An, in delight at Inana, stepped forward
and took his place. He filled the seat of honour of heaven.

65-69 (Inana announced:) "An, my father, I greet
you! Lend your ear to my words. You have made me terrifying among the deities
in heaven. Owing to you my word has no rival in heaven or on earth. You have
given me the ...... and the cilig weapon, the antibal and
mansium emblems.

70-79"To set the
socle in position and make the throne and foundation firm, to carry the might
of the cita weapon which bends like a mubum tree, to hold the
ground with the sixfold yoke, to extend the thighs with the fourfold yoke, to
pursue murderous raids and widespread miltary campaigns, to appear to those
kings in the ...... of heaven like moonlight, to shoot the arrow from the arm
and fall on fields, orchards and forests like the tooth of the locust, to take
the harrow to rebel lands, to remove the locks from their city gates so the
doors stand open -- King An, you have indeed given me
all this, and .......

80-82"You have placed
me at the right hand of the king in order to destroy rebel lands: may he, with
my aid, smash heads like a falcon in the foothills of the mountain, King An, and may I ...... your name throughout the land like a
thread.

83-88"May he destroy
the lands as a snake in a crevice. May he make them slither around like a
sajkal snake coming down from a mountain. May he establish control over
the mountain, examine it and know its length. May he go out on the holy
campaign of An and know its depth. The gods ......,
since the Anuna deities have .......

89-95"How can it be
that the mountain did not fear me in heaven and on earth, that the mountain did
not fear me, Inana, in heaven and on earth, that the
mountain range of Ebih, the mountain, did not fear me
in heaven and on earth? Because it showed me no respect, because it did not put
its nose to the ground, because it did not rub its lips in the dust, may I fill
my hand with the soaring mountain range and hand it over to my terror.

96-99"Against its
magnificent sides let me place magnificent battering rams, against its small
sides let me place small battering rams. Let me storm it and start the 'game'
of holy Inana. In the mountain range let me set up
battle and prepare conflicts.

100-103"Let me
prepare arrows in the quiver. Let me ...... slingstones with the rope. Let me
begin the polishing of my lance. Let me prepare the throwstick and the
shield.

104-107"Let me set
fire to its thick forests. Let me take an axe to its evil-doing. Let me make
Gibil, the purifier, bare his holy teeth at its
watercourses. Let me spread this terror through the inaccessible mountain range
Aratta.

108-111"Like a city
which An has cursed, may it never be restored. Like a
city at which Enlil has frowned, may it never again
lift its neck up. May the mountain tremble when I approach. May Ebih give me honour and praise me."

112-115An, the king of the deities, answered her: "My little one demands
the destruction of this mountain -- what is she taking on? Inana demands the destruction of this mountain -- what is she
taking on? She demands the destruction of this mountain -- what is she taking
on?

116-120"It has
poured fearsome terror on the abodes of the gods. It has spread fear among the
holy dwellings of the Anuna deities. It has poured its
terror and ferocity over this land. It has poured the mountain range's radiance
and fear over all the lands. Its arrogance extends grandly to the centre of
heaven.

121-126"Fruit hangs
in its flourishing gardens and luxuriance spreads forth. Its magnificent trees
are themselves a source of wonder to the roots of heaven. In Ebih ...... lions are abundant under the canopy of trees and bright
branches. It makes wild rams and stags freely abundant. It stands wild bulls in
flourishing grass. Deer couple among the cypress trees of the mountain
range.

127-130"You cannot
pass through its terror and fear. The mountain range's radiance is fearsome.
Maiden Inana, you cannot oppose it." Thus he spoke.

131-137The mistress,
in her rage and anger, opened the arsenal and pushed on the lapis lazuli gate.
She brought out magnificent battle and called up a great storm. Holy Inana reached for the quiver. She raised a towering flood
with evil silt. She stirred up an evil raging wind with potsherds.

138-143My lady
confronted the mountain range. She advanced step by step. She sharpened both
edges of her dagger. She grabbed Ebih's neck as if
ripping up esparto grass. She pressed the dagger's teeth into its interior. She
roared like thunder.

144-151The rocks
forming the body of Ebih clattered down its flanks.
From its sides and crevices great serpents spat venom. She damned its forests
and cursed its trees. She killed its oak trees with drought. She poured fire on
its flanks and made its smoke dense.The goddess established authority over the
mountain. Holy Inana did as she wished.

152-159She went to
the mountain range of Ebih and addressed it: "Mountain
range, because of your elevation, because of your height, because of your
attractiveness, because of your beauty, because of your wearing a holy garment,
because of your reaching up to heaven, because you did not put your nose to the
ground, because you did not rub your lips in the dust, I have killed you and
brought you low.

160-165"As with an
elephant I have seized your tusks. As with a great wild bull I have brought you
to the ground by your thick horns. As with a bull I have forced your great
strength to the ground and pursued you savagely. I have made tears the norm in
your eyes. I have placed laments in your heart. Birds of sorrow are building
nests on these flanks."

166-170For a second
time, rejoicing in her fearsome terror, she spoke out righteously: "My father
Enlil has poured my great terror over the centre of the
mountains. On my right side he has placed a weapon. On my left side a ...... is
placed. My anger, a harrow with great teeth, has torn the mountain apart.

171-175"I have built
a palace and done much more. I have put a throne in place and made its
foundation firm. I have given the kurjara cult performers a dagger and
prod. I have given the gala cult performers ub and lilis
drums. I have changed the headgear of the pilipili cult performers.

176-181"In my
victory I rushed towards the mountain. In my victory I rushed towards Ebih, the mountain range. I went forward like a surging
flood, and like rising water I overflowed the dam. I imposed my victory on the
mountain. I imposed my victory on Ebih."